Dogs, Cats, & Pocket Pets Welcome at Collier Animal Hospital
Dr. Shannon Ewing and her partner were visiting Serenbe two years ago when they met a beagle at the Hills & Hamlets Bookshop. A human was there too (of course), but as a veterinarian, Dr. Ewing mostly remembers the dog. Well, and that the human had mentioned there wasn’t yet a veterinary clinic in the community. Dr. Ewing was surprised, because even a brief visit will show that Serenbe is full of pets (and their owners), so she decided to open Collier Animal Hospital at Serenbe, her second location.
“The goal wasn’t necessarily to grow a huge practice, I just wanted to be busy enough to be a part of the community, and to provide a service that was needed here,” said Dr. Ewing, who eventually wants to move to Serenbe full-time once her kids are in college. “The appealing thing about having a practice in a place like this is that I get to run into clients at various places; get to say hello and check in on the pets.”
She sees her dog clients walking the streets with their owners, but Dr. Ewing mentioned that many of her clients are actually cats because they don’t like cars or carriers, so the two minute golf cart drive (or quick walk) down the street to the vet is much easier on them. While dogs and cats are their main clients, another vet in the practice, Dr. Harshila Ballal, also sees what Dr. Ewing calls “pocket animals,” such as hamsters, birds, or chinchillas. “Garnie Nygren has also asked about adding the Serenbe goats to the client list,” she said.
Collier Animal Hospital provides a variety of veterinary services, including internal medicine and surgery, dentistry, diagnostic imagery, and laboratory and pharmacy. “Any vet who just does vaccines or heartworm, you’re still providing a service to animals,” said Dr. Ewing. "There’s a lot of gratification for me when the animals are part of people’s families, though, and those are the people that want to do the extra care to see their pets through the different phases of life. To keep them healthier longer.”
Collier Animal Hospital at Serenbe is open all day Thursdays and Fridays, and on Saturday mornings, located at 1273 Mado Loop, in the Mado Live Work Courtyard. Contact (470) 724-0900 or cahserenbe@gmail.com to make an appointment.